The Surprise (Dramione Marriage Law Fanfiction)
by SophieB3
Summary: My take on the classic Dramione Marriage Law fic. Draco and Hermione have been secretly dating since fifth year, how will Harry and Ron react especially now they all have to be married! Find out soon in The Surprise.
1. Chapter 1

**The Surprise (Dramione Marriage Law Fanfiction)**

 **The Beginning**

The lavish feast had been eaten and all announcements said. All apart from one. Hermione dared a look at Draco. He was laughing with Blaise and didn't notice the girl looking at him. Blaise, however, did and nudged his best friend to look towards the staring brunette. He smirked and gave a cheeky wink before returning to his quite animated conversation, probably about quidditch. Pansy and Astoria, who were sitting opposite, Blaise and Draco, turned to where the boys had looked and, of course, gave a subtle wave towards Hermione.

"Seventh and eighth years please stay behind. Everyone else is dismissed, sixth year prefects show the first years to their dorms." Professor McGonagall's booming voice said, using her magic to make her voice significantly louder. The seventh and eighth looked amongst each other, confused and hoping the announcement was not anything major.

They were all wrong!

 **A/N: Hey guys! I'm Sophie and this is my first fanfiction ever! I'm sorry this is so short, but I wanted to give you a little taster of what's to come. See you soon! S xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**The End of All We Know**

The silence in the Great Hall was enormous. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the newly appointed Minister for Magic stepped out, of what seemed like nowhere. Professor McGonagall looked nervous, a look no one had seen on her face in a long time. This is bad.

'A new law has been put in place.' The Minister said, with no need for magic since you could have heard a pin drop in the quiet. 'Since the fall of the Dark Lord, the wizarding community has been turmoil. We have seen massive and dreadful loss of life. The Ministry has decided to put a marriage law in place, as we are so close to extinction, as I'm sure you are aware.'

A collective hum and gasp surrounded the Great Hall, as Kingsley paused for breath.

'The marriage law, as we are so calling it, includes this: a name will be called and placed into this goblet, another name will appear, this is your soulmate. We are doing this for the sake of wizarding humanity. Our population is depleted. The government and I have decided that in order to prepare you families, when you're older, it would be an ideal time for you to begin your marriage. These marriages, however necessary, do not have to be permanent. It will be a requirement to be married for five years, enough time, I think, for you to be able to find love within your partnership.'

Again, Kingsley paused for breath, looking away from the large crowd of staring teenagers, and taking a large gulp of water from a green glass bottle that had, just like the Minister, appeared out of fine air. Magic, huh… But that really is not the point.

For the second time this morning, Hermione looked at Draco. He was staring right back at her, his shining grey eyes meeting her chocolate brown eyes was enough to make butterflies appear in her stomach. He looked nervous. Then he mouthed the most beautiful words, its almost as if she could hear him, 'I love you.' And then she mouthed them back, 'I love you too.'

 **A/N: Hey, me again! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first. I really enjoy reading any reviews that you have to offer, so please do send them my way. See you soon. S xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Before**

Hermione was still staring at Draco when Kingsley's voice rang out once more. 'You now will have thirty minutes to close off any existing relationships. I'm afraid this is essential as you may not be placed together by the goblet.' This seemed like the harshest and yet the most necessary thing to say all at once. They needed to enter into their marriages with no other commitments to anyone else. A fresh start. A Clean slate.

The realization of what Hermione and Draco needed to do filled her with a feeling not dis-similar to the feeling after someone had died: a feeling of grief. A feeling many people in the hall were familiar with now, after the war.

The Great Hall began to come alive again as people started to move and converse with one another. Hermione, who had begun to understand the extent of what was about to happen, mumbled something about needing the toilet to the people around her. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she fled the Great Hall.

With Draco hot on her tails.

Draco followed Hermione until they were a safe distance away from the Hall. Her tears were flowing freely now, as he expertly grabbed her, spun her towards him and elegantly wiped her tears away with his thumbs. He gave her a long, loving kiss before allowing her to collapse into his arms.

She sighed in relief as she felt his strong, Quidditch-toned arms wrap around her small torso. They stood there in each other's arms for a long while before she heard him speak, 'Mea, whatever happens, please know that I will always love you.' His words were not ones he had not said before, but, somehow the way he said them this time made it much more profound and final.

Hermione moved slightly so she could see his face. She took one hand from around his neck and placed it across his cheek, gently caressing it, while he moved so their foreheads were touching. 'I love you…more than you know.' She almost whispered as his blonde lashes swept across her face and his eyes fluttered closed, 'I know,' he answered, before bringing her into a long, slow, passionate kiss. Anyone would have thought they were in a movie.

A few minutes later they unlocked lips and looked at each other knowingly. It was time. They intertwined their hands and started to slowly amble back towards the Great Hall. On more than one occasion, Draco brought Hermione in for a quick peck.

As they neared the corner before the Great Hall, Draco stopped and, therefore, so did Hermione. He brought both of her hands into his and looked her dead in the eye. His sterling silver defiantly melting her chocolate brown. 'You go first, I'll wait,' he said. 'Okay,' she replied quietly, yet no more tears flowed down her face. They stayed silent for a few moments before Hermione brought both hands to his cheeks and gave him one last desperate kiss, an almost goodbye. Almost.

And then she was gone. She had rounded the corner and left him. Helpless and alone. That sounded much more dramatic than it needed too. But, Draco Malfoy was a dramatic guy… and that is exactly how he felt. Helpless and alone.

And before he knew it his fist had collided with the wall.

It was just as Hermione was taking her place beside a sobbing Ginny when she heard the large bang resonate around the Great Hall. Despite all the large furnishings it still had a very distinctive echo. The brunette was, now, rising from her almost seated position when she caught the knowing eyes of Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, before she saw them scurrying hurriedly towards where the noise came from and Draco… the maker of the noise. Most people had not heard the noise and those who had, most of which were at the Slytherin table, quickly went back to previous conversations.

Hermione, who had now sat down fully, put her head into her hands. She knew he would blow at some point, she knew he was not the calm and collected person that he had wanted her to believe he was. And now, Theo and Blaise had to deal with the angry, red-faced thing that she called her boyfriend…or used to call her boyfriend.

 **A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been a few weeks, I was on holiday. A fun fact, most of this was written overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I hope you enjoy. S xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys. So, it's been a crazy 9 months. I have just finished my exams and I am sick of coming up with ideas for this story and completely neglecting it. I have read all your lovely comments and I know some of you have been wanting to see more of this. Guaranteed you have forgotten what has happened in this story so far, I hope you will refresh your memory and join be on this journey. Here is a little taster of what is to come. Enjoy! S xx**

The Ceremony

Ginny and Harry were placed together by the goblet just as Draco was unceremoniously dragged into the Great Hall by Theo and Blaise. No eye contact was made between the former pair, although she did get as small smile from Blaise. Hermione was distraught at the sight of him, obviously in so much pain, yet she kept a straight face. She had to, for his sake.

Draco was placed in between Pansy and Daphne as a way of distracting him, Hermione supposed. But she supposed wrong, since as soon as he had sat down, they both thought it would be a marvellous to smack him on the back of his head. The face he made after was not pleasantly surprised but surprised all the same. It seemed to knock some sense into him. He looked at both ladies in turn both preceding to place his forehead on the table.

Theo was called up to goblet. Hermione saw in the way that he walked that he was clearly nervous. She knew from the many nights she had spent in Slytherin tower talking and laughing at his and Blaise's antics. Hermione saw him glance back towards Daphne before he reached the goblet. She could only imagine how he felt in that moment, leaving the love of his life behind. Then she realised, she didn't need to imagine it. It was happening to her. So, caught up in her thoughts she didn't see the fleeting image of Daphne's chocolate brown hair race up to the stage at the front of the Great Hall. I was such a beautiful moment to witness. The way that Theo pulled her into his arms and buried his head into her shoulder to hide his tears. Cheers could be heard from all sides of the room apart from Hermione's side. The Gryffindors just watched. And this is when Hermione realised just how petty this Slytherin vs. Gryffindor feud really was. It should have been put to bed, probably hundreds of years ago. The audible scoff from Ron to her left made her want to punch him. How could he witness a loving and intimate moment and dismiss it like it is nothing? And to think she had once liked him.

It's almost half an hour later when Blaise is called to the front. He has always had the reputation of an eligible bachelor: pure-blooded, lots of money and very well-endowed... or so she had heard. In her two years of being with Draco and being friends with Blaise she had never known him to be in a relationship for more than about 2 weeks. Probably less than that. Blaise called Pansy's name when he reached the goblet. She could almost feel the shock that rippled through the Slytherin table at the opposite side of the hall. Draco finally lifted his off the table, immediately turning his attention to an equally and completely shocked Pansy. No one was expecting that. Hermione, personally, had always thought they would make a nice couple. Pansy refused to meet him on the stage; Hermione knew she would. Theo took his place opposite her, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. To which Pansy rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smile could be seen on her ever-glowering face.

Then Kingsley called Draco to come up to the front.

Hermione felt her heart rise from her chest, right to the back of her throat. She wanted to cry and scream all at the same time. She kept her same straight face despite feeling sweat dripping down her back. Her heart racing, she ducked her head so no one would see her eyes well up with tears. She didn't let the tears fall though.

No until she heard Draco call her name.


	5. Chapter 5

After

Just as soon as her heart had started racing, she felt her heart stop. Her tears now freely flowing from her eyes were large and dripping onto the table into small puddles. A collective gasp carried across the room, but Hermione didn't hear it. So caught up in her little bubble she could only just make up the string of expletives and 'This can't be happening' coming from Ron.

She must have sat there for a good couple of minutes with the hall's eyes staring into her soul. Then she heard it 'Mea'. His deep and crisp voice broke the silence in the room. It was then that she realised that she hadn't looked at him, but she didn't need to. As soon as the name left his lips, she stood shakily from her place at Gryffindor table and clambered to remove herself from her chair despite the awful attempts of Ron, Ginny and Harry trying to hold her back with 'You don't have to do this Hermione…he's awful…we can find a way around this.' She didn't listen to them for so much as a second. She knew differently and despite the fact she considered them some of her best friends, there was a reason that the Slytherins knew about their relationship and the Gryffindors didn't. As much as no one wanted to admit it (Hermione included) the Slytherins could be a lot more open minded than the Gryffindors ever could be, especially with everything they had been through during the war.

Now she was running, running towards Draco with only him in her sights. Her tears were flowing like a stream and yet now it was not from fear or sadness it was from utter joy and there was no other way to describe it. Now she had reached him and the snide comments coming from her former table had stopped because she had crashed into him, their bodies colliding and their lips meeting. The collective gasp was louder and lasted for way longer, but they didn't care one bit. It was them against the world.

It was then she felt other bodies crowding around them. They broke apart expecting to hear the wrath of her fellow Gryffindors but instead she was embraced by Slytherins, who were cheering for them. Everyone else was silent. No one anticipated this.

Hermione was dragged off the stage towards the Slytherin. Although there was plenty of room for her to sit, Draco insisted that she sit on his lap as he always did when they were together. The rest of the group gave each other knowing smiles when he did this for, they all knew it was so he could bury his head into Hermione's shoulder. There was a sense of contentment around the group that Hermione had never felt before. It felt like home.

Kingsley stood up to the podium, his bright purple robes swishing by his feet. 'Right…well, with that there are no more pairings. An extension was added to Hogwarts during the restoration project. Theses are couple dormitories where you will spend evenings and nights with your soulmates. They are all 2 bedrooms so there is no pressure to sleep next to your significant other right away, unless you want to of course….'

McGonagall quickly interrupted Kingsley: 'I think that's quite enough Minister.'

'Right, of course. Off you go I guess.'

The general atmosphere had settled into a mixture of shock and anticipation. Hermione noticed many people looking at her and Draco's entwined fingers. It was an oddly satisfying feeling to be completely out in the open about their relationship when they had hidden it for almost three years. It seemed to be an easier transition for her and the group than everyone else, however. Ron and Harry seemed to be taking the news particularly hard, often glancing at her with sad eyes.

It was no hard task getting out of the Great Hall as it usually was. Hermione told Draco she wanted to wait and see if she could talk to Ron and Harry. He very, very reluctantly agreed to meet her at their room on the condition that she give him a kiss before he left. She did but just a peck nothing to fancy, she couldn't deal with any more staring.

She saw Ron and Harry whispering in her general direction just outside of the Great Hall. She knew that Ron was mad, she could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears, and Harry, well, Harry just looked disappointed and a little upset, if she was being honest. She knew that she had messed up and may never be able to gain their trust again, but she had to try. And even if she had told them before today, would they have understood?

No. No they wouldn't have understood. That is why she didn't tell them, right?

She walked up to then timidly, completely unlike her usually confident self. She feared their reaction, sure, but even more scared of losing their friendship, especially after all they had been through.

'Hi,' she said, her emotions obvious in the way her voice shook.

They each took a moment to look at her. Then sharing a look, they started to walk away from her, not so much as saying a word.

'Guys, please wait, I know it's a shook…but please we can talk about this and…and,'

Harry turned and took a sad look at her, 'Hermione. Not tonight.' He said some what sternly, and then continued to walk away. And that's when her eyes filed with tears for the third time that night. She waited until they were out of sight before scurrying off in the same direction of the new apartments, wondering if she could ever remedy this. They had been through hell together, but this felt worse.

 **A/N: Ummm…guess who's on a roll…me! Two updates in as many days. I'm happy to see so many of you enjoying this as much as I have enjoyed these past couple of days getting back into it. Will update soon! S xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Their Home**

Hermione finally found their apartment and opened the large white door quietly. Their apartment number happened to be the same as Draco's quidditch number (and not so unironically Hermione's favourite number: the number 3). Upon entering the apartment, Hermione gasped, and her jaw dropped. It was gorgeous; just what Hermione had imagined for herself and Draco, when they were to move forward in their lives together. The theme was classy: white and black with small accents of mustard yellow and silver. When moving through the door, immediately you were placed into the living room, which occupied a large white leather sofa. Two fluffy throws were draped over the back of the sofa: one black and one mustard. Throw pillows were scattered along the entirety of the sofa of assorted theme colours but many of them of different patterns. In front of the sofa was a glass coffee table that had matte black legs and on top was 6 mugs of coffee, 5 of them already half empty.

'Draco,' she called. 'We've only just moved in and already you are not using coasters. Do you have a death wish?'

'Babe, I'm all over it. I will rectify this travesty immediately.' Draco moving to stand behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist and waving his wand to place coasters underneath the mugs.

'Thank you. But you could have sounded just slightly less sarcastic.' She said leaning into his touch and smiling., finally relaxing.

'Are you alright? You've been crying.' It was not a question; he knew her too well. 'Yeah, we'll talk later.' She said ending the conversation before the others joined them.

The rest of the group joined them in the lounge, each taking a seat. They sat in there for a while, all waiting for someone to break the silence. It was not an uncomfortable silence but a contented one, everyone sitting with their thoughts until…

'Hermione,' Pansy said, moving to sit in front of her on the coffee table. 'I think that everything will work out with…your friends. Either they will accept you for you with Draco and us or they won't. Simple as that. You will always have us, and you have for a long time now. We are not going anywhere,'

'Yeah, and even if we did, we would just be as crappy as they are being right now. You had to hide your relationship. Fact!' Astoria added.

'Wait, how did you know…'

'Because they're Gryffindors, Hermione.'

'Pansy, _I'm_ a Gryffindor,'

'Yeah, but you're different. You're Hermione Granger, the girl who has been secretly friends, but still friends, with Slytherins since fifth year. The girl who is dating and now living with the person she used to consider her arch nemesis. She gives people second chances, most people don't.'

With everyone nodding and agreeing with Pansy, Hermione just sat there speechless in the midst of her friend's speech. It was crazy that they knew each other so well and in theory they had had spent such little time together.

Hermione felt herself welling up again. This time not in sadness but in happiness. In contentedness. In relief. Finally, for the first time since her relationship had gotten serious, she felt whole. Her friends knew now and even if they didn't agree, they knew and they could either accept Hermione for who she was, and who she was in love with, or not.

Hermione felt Draco pull her closer to him, his arm firmly wrapped around her shoulders. She reached up to play with his fingers as she rested her head on his chest. He was much taller than her after all.

The group sat there together for a few more hours, chatting and laughing as they had done before. Before the war had began and everything had changed. Although, to them nothing had changed from the long nights that they had spent together in the Slytherin common room, playing games and talking. If anyone was to of seen them then, they would not have even guess that they had ended up on different sides of the war. They had of course. But everything was the same.

When Astoria fell asleep in Theo's lap, everyone decided it was probably time to separate and go to bed. Theo picked up Astoria, cradling her in his arms, and headed for the door, with Draco in tow to open it for them. Blaise and Pansy each hugged Hermione, wishing her a good night before also leaving to explore their new apartment.

As Draco closed the door, Hermione realised it was the first time they had properly been alone since the ceremony. Since their lives had changed forever. She ducked into the kitchen and found a bottle of white wine that was chilling in the fridge. She poured some into two long stem wine glasses and made her way back into the living room. Draco was laying on the sofa, his eyes shut, and his hands resting on his stomach. Hermione had forgotten a time where she had seen him as relaxed as this.

She sipped her wine gently as she removed the left-over coffee mugs with her wand and moved them into the kitchen. She quietly placed the wine glasses onto the coasters and then knelt by Draco's head, smoothing his hair as she did so. His eyes fluttered open to look at her and he smiled. God, she had forgotten how good that made her feel to see him so calm and happy.

He sat up and pulled her with him to sit in his lap. Grabbing his wine and taking a long sip, he looked up at her, looking down at him, and pulled her in for a glorious kiss. Hermione took control, making it her mission to warm his lips which were still cold from the war. Their tongues fought for dominance until he let her have her way with his mouth.

The kiss ended. Their lips untangled and Hermione's forehead rested on Draco's. Their breath blowing into each other's faces.

'I love you,' Draco said sweetly. His hands coming to rest on Hermione's cheeks and Hermione holding on to his toned arms.

'I love you too,' she mumbled gazing into his icy grey eyes.

He lifted her up, her giggling and ran with her to the bedroom. They hadn't had a chance to be _really_ together since the war and they were both aching for the others touch. Pansy's 'sleep well' would have to be kept for tomorrow night because tonight the two lovebirds were going to stay up…for a long time.

 **A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry its been a (very long) while and that it has taken the whole country to be in lockdown for me to begin uploading again. But, I'm back and you can defo expect more regular updates from now on. See you next week for chapter 7! S xx**


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